Wall Street Sells Big While Retail Hedge Funds Buy
Institutional investors sold a net $8.3 billion of US equities last week, marking the second-largest weekly outflow on record, according to flow data.
Key Takeaways:
- Institutions sold $8.3 billion in US equities, the second-largest weekly sale ever recorded.
- Retail investors bought $1.0 billion, extending their buying streak to five weeks.
- Hedge funds added $1.2 billion, logging eight purchases in the past nine weeks.
- Equity ETFs attracted $2.2 billion in inflows.
The move highlights an accelerating divergence between large asset managers and smaller market participants.
BREAKING: Institutional investors sold a net -$8.3 billion of US equities last week, the 2nd-largest weekly sale on record.
Meanwhile, retail investors bought +$1.0 billion, posting their 5th consecutive weekly purchase.
Hedge funds bought +$1.2 billion, marking their 8th… pic.twitter.com/5Uhr7tGhqq
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) February 20, 2026
Single stocks saw $8.3 billion in outflows and have recorded withdrawals in 13 of the last 15 weeks, totaling $52 billion.
Broad Funds Favored Over Single Names
While institutions offloaded individual companies, capital flowed into diversified vehicles. Equity ETFs drew $2.2 billion during the same period, signaling that investors continue to prefer broad exposure rather than concentrated single-stock bets.
The divergence is stark: single-name equities have experienced outflows in 13 of the past 15 weeks, with cumulative withdrawals reaching $52 billion. The data points to a sustained rotation away from direct stock picking and toward index-linked strategies.
Retail and Hedge Funds Absorb Supply
Retail investors purchased $1.0 billion in equities last week, marking their fifth consecutive week of net buying. Hedge funds added $1.2 billion, continuing a pattern of accumulation that has seen them buy in eight of the last nine weeks.
The shift suggests that institutions are distributing shares into bids from smaller investors and fast-money managers — effectively transferring ownership as markets navigate policy uncertainty and earnings volatility.
Redistribution of Risk
The scale of institutional selling – among the largest ever recorded – underscores heightened caution among traditional asset managers. At the same time, persistent retail demand and hedge fund positioning indicate confidence in short-term opportunities or dip-buying strategies.
With flows increasingly fragmented across investor classes, the equity market’s next direction may hinge on whether retail and hedge fund demand can continue absorbing supply if institutional selling persists.
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